Biography for
Kelly Clarkson More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

24 April 1982, Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Birth Name

Kelly Brianne Clarkson

Nickname

Kellbelle

Height

5' 3½" (1.61 m)

Trade Mark

Performs barefoot.

Trivia

Originally wanted to be a marine biologist but changed her mind when she saw the movie Jaws (1975).

Was an extra on the show "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (1996).

Graduated from Burleson High School, Burleson, Texas in 2000.

She won the first "American Idol" contest, September 4, 2002. Her first single came out in late September of that year.

Was a cocktail waitress at a comedy club in Arlington, Texas and at Hyena's Comedy Club in Downtown Fort Worth, Texas.

Mom: Jeanne.

Stepdad: Jimmy Taylor.

Her first single sold nearly 250,000 copies in its first week.

Her first single, "A Moment Like This", set records by jumping from number 52 to the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Beat out more than 10,000 people to land a $1 million recording contract on American Idol.

Brother: Jason (b. 1973), sister: Alyssa (b. 1976).

Kelly stayed up all night before her "American Idol: The Search for a Superstar" (2002) audition so she wouldn't sleep through the alarm, which she frequently did in high school.

Used to work at a bookstore and at a zoo.

Used to work at Hollywood Theatres in Burleson, Texas.

Sang the National Anthem at The Day of Service in Washington D.C., on September 11, 2002.

Christina Aguilera co-wrote her hit, "Miss Independent".

Came in second place in World Idol (2003) (TV).

Avril Lavigne co-wrote her new single 'Breakaway' which is on the soundtrack for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004).

Debut album, "Thankful" went double platinum.

Is of Greek, Welsh, and Irish descent.

As a child, her favorite thing to wear was a Mickey Mouse t-shirt.

Sophmore album, "Breakaway", debuted at number three.

Is the first artist in the Billboard Radio Monitor era to hold the No. 1 spot at Mainstream Top 40 and AC during the same week with two different songs (Breakaway and Since U Been Gone).

Ranked #92 in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World (2005).

Became the first artist to have two songs in the top three of Billboard's Pop 100 Airplay chart (Since U Been Gone, Behind These Hazel Eyes)

Underwent LASIK eye surgery to correct her vision

As of July 2005, she is the top-selling American Idol contestant, having sold approximately five million albums in the U.S. and having had five Top 10 singles.

First artist to have two songs in the top 3 of the Billboard Pop Airplay 100 simultaneously, with "Since U Been Gone" and "Behind These Hazel Eyes".

Her first album, Thankful, has sold more than 2.5 million copies in America. Her Sophomore album, Breakaway, has sold more than 5.6 million copies in the US, with almost 11 million in sales worldwide.

Held a record on TRL for a song to be number one on the countdown.

Her music video for "Because of You" debuted at #1 on TRL. The only other artists to achieve this goal are Britney Spears, Eminem and "N'SYNC".

Won the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ('Since U Been Gone') and Best Pop Vocal Album ('Breakaway') at the Grammy Awards on February 8th 2006. Kelly also performed "Because of You" at the ceremony and received a standing ovation.

Ranked as #92 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement (2005).

Fave Artists: Reba McEntire, Mariah Carey, Céline Dion, No Doubt, etc.

Fave Song: Des'ree "Kissing You.

Accepted 2 Grammy Awards the award for Pop Female Vocal for "Since U Been Gone" and now, her album has been awarded Best Pop Album!

Parents divorced when she was six.

Named #50 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).

Fired her manager, Jeff Kwatinetz, in early 2007.

Said in a Reader's Digest interview that as a toddler, she would often walk around naked and that, to this day, hates wearing clothes. Calls wardrobe fittings "the death of me".

Considers her Texas home her "sanctuary" and turns off her cell phone when going home.

Had jobs as a teenager and determined that once she started making money as a musician, she never wanted to have to take a job for the money. Working with her business manager, she said she has financially set herself up for life.

Performed Ave Maria for Pope Benedict XVI on April 19, 2008. This took place at St. Joseph's Seminary, Yonkers, New York.

Personal Quotes

On boys: "You need to establish yourself before you let someone else in - I'm still finding myself".

I'm petite but I was the biggest girl on my season. Everyone else weighed 100 pounds. Reporters would ask, 'So what's it like being a big girl?' and I thought, 'Big? What?' It was like, 'Wait, what am I doing wrong?' Luckily, I had a great mom and dad who helped me grow up feeling comfortable in my own skin. I have a curvy figure, which guys like. And performing isn't about looking the best or being the most beautiful. I do it because I love it. Look, nobody else has my butt. Nobody has my eyes. Nobody has my nose. It's all mine. And that's what makes me different from everyone.

I'm only 27, not 40 and still single! I enjoy being single, I love work and I think people are so passive with relationships and I'm not that person.

I'm an extremist, I'm either in a relationship or I'm not. I'm honest about it and I'll tell people, it's just there's nothing to tell. I have a very good life."

I love my body. I'm very much OK with it. I don't think artists are ever the ones who have the problem with their weight, it is other people.

The rumors are not helping me on the dating front! I prefer the boys. I'm extremely flattered when I do get hit on by girls, and I think it's hot, but I'm not into it. I like boys.

Salary

World Idol (2003) (TV)

$1,400

Where Are They Now

(2006) Appeared in an infomercial, hosted by Vanessa Williams, for "Proactiv Solution" acne medication.

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